Arizona @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 6, 2019 ) NY Rangers 0, Arizona 5

Their respective two-game starts to the season are not indicative of how the Arizona Coyotes and New York Rangers are faring these days. The Coyotes have won three in a row and recorded a point in four of their last five (4-0-1) entering the opener of a four-game trek on Tuesday against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

"We've been playing the way we wanted to play really since the start of the season," said Conor Garland, who scored his fourth goal in five games in Arizona's 5-2 victory over Ottawa on Saturday. The 23-year-old tallied twice in the Coyotes' 5-0 rout of New York on Jan. 6 to help his team complete a two-game season sweep in 2018-19. The Rangers enter Tuesday's tilt having been outscored 17-7 during their four-game losing streak, with three first-period goals leading to their undoing in Sunday's 3-2 setback versus Vancouver in the opener of their season-long five-game homestand. Artemi Panarin, who has tallied in consecutive contests to tie Mika Zibanejad for the team lead in goals (four), has recorded a point in six of 10 career games against Arizona.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, FS Arizona-Plus, MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE COYOTES (4-2-1): Former Rangers forward Derek Stepan likes what he sees out of his current club, going so far as to cast an eye several months ahead as Arizona attempts to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2011-12 season -- when it was known as the Phoenix Coyotes. "As of right now we have the machine oiled well," the 29-year-old Stepan said following practice on Monday. "When I first got to Arizona it was like, 'OK, which direction are we going in?' Now the ship is moving pretty quickly in the right direction. So, yes, I would tell you that it does feel like a playoff team." Stepan, who scored in overtime of a 4-3 victory over the Rangers on Dec. 14, has three assists in his last two games after being held off the scoresheet in each of his previous four contests.

ABOUT THE RANGERS (2-4-0): Zibanejad's club-best 11 points (four goals, seven assists) are tied for the third-most spread over the team's first six games of a season in franchise history, one behind Rod Gilbert (1971-72) and Ron Greschner (1984-85). Chris Kreider, who has yet to score a goal this season, has tallied seven times in his last eight games against Arizona while Pavel Buchnevich has three goals in two career contests versus the Coyotes at Madison Square Garden. Jesper Fast scored for the second time in three contests and added an assist versus Vancouver after mustering just one point over his first three games.

OVERTIME

1. New York G Alexander Georgiev is expected to make his first start this season at home, where he posted a 7-3-3 mark with one shutout, a 2.23 goals-against average and .931 save percentage in 14 appearances in 2018-19.

2. Arizona is 6-for-13 on the power play after failing on all nine opportunities over its first four games.

3. The Rangers won nine consecutive meetings versus the Coyotes before getting swept last season.

PREDICTION: Rangers 3, Coyotes 2